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Billy Graham's New Book Offers Compelling Perspective on Elderly Care

Renowned spiritual leader Billy Graham spent his life career inspiring people to live lives of grace, faith and charity. Now, at the age of 93, Rev. Graham is inspiring us in the final stages of life. His new book, "Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well" addresses the process of growing old and approaching the end of life and doing so gracefully and with an eye toward God.

In a recent article in USA Today, Graham discussed why he chose to write this book at this stage in his life.

"No one prepares you for loneliness, for pain, for the grief of losing your soul mate, he now writes. When his wife, Ruth, died in June 2007, he was stunned that she died before he did. He had never envisioned his life without her.

Graham has Parkinson's disease and is confined to a walker or wheelchair. He also has macular degeneration and can no longer read. He dictated "Nearing Home" to staff members. Yet he continues to live out his life to the fullest, still taking advantage of opportunities to minister to his global congregation. This time, Graham's words encourage seniors to turn to scripture for wisdom in how to proceed in the twilight of their lives.

While many people have written books before about dying and growing old, few have the same clout with generations of people across the country, across imaginary boundaries of income or race as the Rev. Graham.

Through Graham's experiences and his decades of devotion to people's spiritual well-being, "Nearing Home" can bring comfort and hope to anyone facing their own end of life or those who care for the elderly. We can all take away several lessons in patience, compassion and grace from Graham's work.

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